SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK PLAN

(SSWP)

SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK PLAN

(SSWP)

BUILDING AND MONUMENT MAINTENANCE

Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP) GuidelinesThe Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP) complements the SafetyStatement required under the Safety, Health and Welfare at WorkAct, although it does not replace the requirement for such a SafetyStatement except where employers employing 3 or less employeesare in full compliance with the relevant Code of Practice.This guidance, which is particularly relevant to contractors, self-employed persons and employees, deals with the maintenance ofbuildings and monuments.The SSWP will help users to complete maintenance work on housing,buildings, monuments and other structures in safe manner.Completing and using the SSWP will also help you to meet some ofthe legal obligations placed on you by health and safety legislation.

The Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP)The primary objective of the SSWP is to identify the major hazardsassociated with your work activities and to ensure thatappropriate controls are in place before work commences.The SSWP achieves many other objectives, including:• Links the implementation of the Safety Statement directly to

the work activity except where employers employing 3 or lessemployees are in full compliance with the relevant Code ofPractice.

• Focusing on safety for a particular task. The SSWP is completedat the start of each activity, and can be reviewed at any timeduring the work.

• Increasing awareness. It encourages the users to consider arange of options to deal with the risks. The users will becomefamiliar with the various controls available.

• Communicating through the use of pictograms so that themeaning can be understood by persons who possess little or no English.

• Being user friendly: just tick the hazards and controls.

The Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP) should be used as a finalcheck to ensure that the identified controls for a specificconstruction work activity are available and in place. Howeversafety starts long before any specific construction activity takesplace. Hazard identification, risk assessment, the eliminationand control of identified hazards must take place through allstages of construction from the planning stage, through thedesign process, the tendering process and on to theconstruction stage so that each specific construction activity willhave had safety built in.

The SSWP: A 3-part process:• Part 1: Planning the activity• Part 2: Hazard Identification, and Control Identifier• Part 3: Sign off

PART 1This part will be completed by the person planning the activity.Normally this will be carried out by the responsible person/supervisor/foreman and/or engineer prior to work starting.• Identify who the employer/self-employed person is, e.g. Acme

Pipe Laying Ltd• Name of the Responsible Person/Supervisor for the activity, e.g.

A. McSample• Identify the number of workers in the team, e.g. 3• Identify the specific location of the activity, e.g. gridline x to

gridline y• Describe the specific activity, e.g. pipelaying• When the work is to start, the date, e.g. Tuesday, 1st June• What skills are required, e.g. 360 excavator driver, banksman,

pipelayer, flag man• Plant and Equipment required, e.g. Fiat Hitachi EX200, Sling,

Shackle

• Hazardous Materials, if used, e.g. Acme Bondex XXX, R45• Contact Names & Tel No. in the event of an emergency, e.g.

Site Supervisor or Foreman• Name of the First Aider, and the location of the nearest First

Aid Box• Are Permits to Work required? Tick type• The final section of this part: list requirements that are

identified in the Construction Regulations and otherLegislation as mandatory. Where these requirements are inplace a tick mark should be placed in the round box.

Note: For sites where more than 20 persons are normally employedat any one time, a site safety representative should be appointed.

PART 2This part of the SSWP form deals with hazard identification, riskassessment and risk control. Normally the hazards and controlswill be identified by the engineer, supervisor, or foreman prior towork starting.

The Hazards or Work Activity of concern should first beidentified by ticking the square boxes in the “SelectHazard or Activity” column.

The appropriate Controls to eliminate the hazard orreduce the risk should be identified by ticking thesquare boxes in the “Select Control” column.

When controls are in place tick the round box. This mustbe done in conjunction with the workers at the specificwork location prior to the work taking place.

Similarly, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),should be selected by ticking the square boxes in the PPEsection, and when acquired by ticking the round box.

Part 2 of the form may also contain several blank hazard triangles,each labelled with the word “identify”, and several blank controlboxes, each labelled with the word “other”. As the list of hazardsdepicted in the form is not exhaustive, where other hazards areidentified, these can be written into the blank hazard triangles.Similarly, as the list of controls depicted in the form is notexhaustive, where other controls are identified, these can bewritten into the blank control boxes.

PART 3This part deals with the signing off of the SSWP. The purpose is toensure that the form has been fully completed and that relevantpersons involved in the work activity have been made aware of therisks and the controls required to eliminate such risks. Initially theperson who identifies the hazards, controls and activities based ontheir knowledge of the work involved and any information madeavailable to them signs off. The next signature is of the person(s)who puts the identified control measures in place. Finally, as thepersons involved in carrying out the work activity and to whomthe SSWP applies are made aware of the controls for their ownsafety, each person involved identifies that they have been madeaware of these controls. Persons who call to the site and who mayalso be exposed to any risks arising must be made aware of thecontrols in place and should also sign the SSWP.Note 1: The completed SSWP must remain at the specific location ofthe work with the persons carrying out the work activity. The SSWPshould be kept in a location which is accessible to all.Note 2: A new SSWP must be completed when (1) a new hazard isidentified, (2) the task changes, or (3) the environment changes.Note 3: The completed SSWP must be reviewed on a regular basis.

Optional: A record sheet is available inside the back cover.

REMEMBER “IF IT’S NOT SAFE DON’T DO IT, AND INFORM SITE MANAGEMENT”

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Published in 2010 by the Health and Safety Authority. © Copyright The Health and Safety Authority – 2010. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Health and Safety Authority.

We gratefully acknowledge the help and participation of the LASAG group in the production of this form.

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SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK PLAN (SSWP)BUILDING AND MONUMENT MAINTENANCE

All controls identified below must be in place before work starts

Job Details Resources Required Emergency DetailsEmployer Name: Worker Skills: Contact Names & Tel No.Responsible Person: 1.Number of Workers: 2.Specific Location: 3.Description of Works: Plant/Equipment: First Aider:

Location of First Aid Box:

Start Date: Hazardous Materials: WORK PERMITS REQUIREDHot Electricity AsbestosConfined Space OtherMethod Statement Yes No

CSCSSafe Pass Drying/Changing Drinking Water First Aid PPE

Plan No.

Before Works Starts the following arrangements MUST be in place

SELECTCONTROL Tick the box to identify controls required; Tick the circle when control is in place.✔ ✔

Members of thePublic/Live Traffic

Infestation

Working withElectricity

Hand HeldEquipment

Working fromHeight incl.

Roof Work &Falling Objects

Pedestrian WayFencing Barriers Traffic ControlLiaison Work Organisation Warning Signs

Specialist PPE Weil’s Disease/Hygiene WetSurvey/Assess OtherDecontamination/

Extermination Ventilation Extraction

Service Supplier

Selection/Suitability Check Cable

Warning Signs

Voltage

Liaison

Con Saw/Abrasive WheelsGuarding in Place Cartridge Tools

Risk Assess MEWP Nets/Bean Bags Overhead Lines SignsGoods/Person Hoist Propping Weather Ladder Access

Safe Ladder Trestle Platform Mobile Scaffold Scaffold Chutes Exclusion Zone ‘A’ Ladder

Fall Protection and Rescue Internal Platform Other

Risk Assess/TrainingCrawling Boards

Roof Ladders Examination & Inspection Storage

Barriers

Guards Maintenance

Permit to Work

Compressor & Whip Checks

Competence

Replace Damaged Parts

Safety File/O + M Manual

Edge Protection

Isolate/Lock Out

NOTE: A new SSWP must be completed whenthe task or the environment changes.

WC & WashingSupervision Plant/Eq. Cert.Communication/Induction Canteen

FÁS

SELECT HAZARD

OR ACTIVITY

© Copyright The Health and Safety Authority – 2010

Tool & Equipment Security

Dust

Housekeeping Other

Wire/Cable Locator Other Other

Other

Lone Working/Violence Accompanied/

AttendedCommunication/Alarm

ControlledPeriodic Checks

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PPE

HAZARD ORACTIVITY CONTROL Tick the box to identify controls required; Tick the circle when control is in place.

Back Fill Exclusion Zone

Gas/Flame Arrester

Trench Support

Risk Assess Survey

Safety Helmet Safety Boots Eye Protection Safety Gloves Ear Protection Hi Visibility Vest Knee Pads Face Protection Safety Harness Safety OverallsRespiratoryEquipment

ManualHandling

Fire

Excavation

General

ConfinedSpace

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Storage/Labels

No Eating Ventilation

Hand Wash

Smoking Control

Mechanical Aids

WorkOrganisation Training

Other OtherLighting Housekeeping Safe StorageGasBottle Storage

Substances

Risk Assess Permit to Work

TripodDetection Communication

Divert/Off Survey/AssessService Supplier

Identity/Survey

Warning SignsDetector & Mark

Risk AssessProcedure/Training Dust/Wetting Wash Hands

No FlamesHand Dig

Waste Removal Examination & Inspection Cover Cuts

HiddenServices

AsbestosContaining Material Vaccination

Programme

ex

Emergency Route

WATERCloth, paper, wood only

DRY POWDER

Most fires

+ electric

CARBONDIOXIDE

Flammable liquids

+ electric

FOAMOil, fuel fires only

BiologicalAgents

Survey No Undermining Batter Back Barrier Covers Warning Signs

Animal DeterrentsTechnique

PersonalFloatation Device

Boilers/Burners/Training; Servicing

Safety Data Sheet

Examination & Inspection

Hazards, activities and controls on this SSWP identified by: Date: Time:

Controls put in place by: Date: Time:

IF IT’S NOT SAFE DON’T DO IT AND INFORM SITE MANAGEMENTNOTE: This list of Hazards and Controls is not exhaustive and is in no particular order.

© Copyright The Health and Safety Authority – 2010

I have been made aware of the hazards & controls for this activity. Signed by Team:

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Check Lifting Gear Exclusion ZoneSelection/Suitability Overhead Lines Examination & InspectionSWL/Plan Lift Load StabilitySlinger/Signaller

Plant and LiftingOperations Weather Glazing/Suction

Excavator/ Check Valves

LockingAttachments

ReverseWarning Devices

FOR THE RECORD (OPTIONAL)PLAN NO. START DATE LOCATION PREPARED BY

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Safe System of Work Plan (SSWP)Building and Monument Maintenance

HSA 0341

Working to create anational culture

where all commit tosafe and healthy

workplaces and thesafe and sustainable

management ofchemicals.

HEALTH AND SAFETYAUTHORITY

Metropolitan BuildingJames Joyce Street

Dublin 1Tel. 1890 289 389

International callers00353 1 6147000Fax. (01) 6147020

www.hsa.ie